Kiln family talks about faith over fear after fire

KILN, MS (WLOX) - A family in Kiln escaped with just their lives when a fire burned their house to the ground earlier this week.

Lee Haas stepped carefully over the debris as she searched for Country, her family’s dog who firefighters said may not have survived. She believes he would have been in her parent’s room.

“Country would sleep back there. He’d basically knock down whoever trying to get in the house to sleep back there," she said as she pointed to where the bedroom once stood. “That was his safe place, so that’s where we’ve been looking.”

The house was still smoldering as Lisa Haas looked over the damage. It was her first time back since the fire began a little after 1:30 am. She said it started with a crash that woke her out of her sleep.

“I have to believe that God woke me up, or an angel, one of the saints, that it divine intervention," Lisa said. She was unable to remember hearing the smoke detectors. After waking up all her kids, the only thing on her mind was getting out in time.

“Everything became so hectic that I’m sure they went off, but it didn’t even matter at that point. We were running out the house,” Lisa said.

As Lee sifted through what was left, items turned to dust with one touch. Yet, a figurine of a guardian angel covering a group of children stood strong, as did a rosary bracelet and a statue of the Virgin Mary near where where officials said the fire began.

“I always felt real protected by all of the religious stuff we had in the house and I believe in that," Lisa said.

She thought it was no coincidence. Combined with faith, she said it’s the love and support from Kiln’s tight-knit community that is helping her family pull through.

“I can’t image what this would be like if we haven’t been shown so much love and kindness by so many people," she said.

For her, picking up the pieces became a healing experience.

“If one word comes to my mind, its a little more acceptance. This is our cross we have to we have before us right now and we need to make the best of it," Lisa said.

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